deserves.â She leaned forward. The chair cracked alarmingly. âWhat do you think, Mr. Hughes?â
âWell,â Dad said, âIâve no objection â but itâs really up to Jane. Would you like to go, darling?â
Jane said, âIâd totally love to.â
Staffa gave a shriek of joy. She gave Jane a hug so hard that it almost hurt, and whispered fiercely in her ear, âYou wonât be sorry you did this!â
TRAVELS WITH A BOX
They set out on the very first day of the summer vacation. Lady Matilda had told Jane not to bring too much luggage, so she had stuffed just a few belongings into her school backpack â a book, a toothbrush, a hairbrush, and a single change of clothes.
The car arrived at the Boy Garden right after breakfast. Lady Matilda leapt out, dressed in a trouser suit of bright-orange velvet and a matching hat like an orange-velvet crash helmet. âThe open road beckons!â she cried. âSay your farewells, dear girls!â
The morning was bright and sunny, and Jane was excited. Much as she loved the Boy Garden, she longed to see new sights and have new experiences. âIâll send loads of postcards,â she promised her brothers. âIâll have a lot to tell when I get home!â
âBring sweets!â shouted Mike and Phil.
Staffaâs good-byes took longest. She kissed all the boys â including the oldest, Martin, who had only just gotten back from college. She kissed Mom and Dad, and thanked them for their kindness.
âOh, do hurry up!â Lady Matilda said crossly. âKissing them all takes so LONG!â
Staffa gave one last hug and kiss to little Ted. She climbed into the car beside Jane. As they moved away, Jane saw tears on her white cheeks. It was the first time she had ever seen Staffa crying. She took her hand.
âStaffa? Are you okay?â
âIâll miss them, thatâs all.â Staffa did her best to smile. âIâve had the time of my life at your Boy Garden. Iâm glad Iâm taking you away with me, as a souvenir.â She added, âFor a few weeks, anyway. I donât think I could bear it otherwise.â
âOh, for goodness sake,â said Lady Matilda. âDonât be such a drip.â
Jane thought this was mean of her. She gave Staffaâs hand a friendly squeeze. âYou can come back whenever you like.â
âNo, I canât,â Staffa said. âI canât do anything I like.â
It was an odd remark, which made her mother scowl. When Lady Matilda frowned, deep furrows appeared in her white forehead, and she looked like the painted figurehead of an old-fashioned ship. Jane was a little afraid of her.
âStaffa, Iâm warning you now â I will not put up with sulking. Make me a cup of Haw-haw tea.â
âYes, Mother.â
âAnd only four sugars, because Iâve decided to make my bottom smaller. I couldnât get my knickerbockers over it this morning.â
âYes, Mother.â Staffa gave a snort of laughter, and winked at Jane to tell her she was all right.
The big gold teapot, complete with gaslight, was traveling with them in the car. So was the painted box. This beautiful object sat on the leather seat between Staffa and her mother, held perfectly still with its own seat belt. Lady Matilda often stroked it, and rested her jeweled hand upon it. Every now and then she wiped it with a silk handkerchief, though there was never a speck on its painted sides. She covered it carefully with the handkerchief while she drank her tea.
They stopped for lunch at a large hotel, somewhere in the middle of the countryside. It was very grand. Lady Matilda begged Jane to order whatever she fancied, and she chose a fancy kind of sausage and mashed potatoes, with ice cream to follow. It was all delicious.
âI MUST get you some new clothes, Jane,â Lady Matilda said, looking scornfully at Janeâs